Assassin's Creed : The Silver Animus and the World of Tomorrow
by Mr. thinker
Summary: Desmond Miles, who sacrificed himself to save humanity, should've died. Yet he woke up on the year 2048...with amnesia. Then he was introduced to a game called Brain Burst by a woman who claimed to be his aunt. He plays the game, hoping to regain his lost memories. But instead, he is faced with the greater challenge of restoring balance to Accel World.
1. Chapter 1 : Awakening

Chapter 1

YEAR : 2042

The air inside the room was cold and heavy. A tapping sound, coming from a keyboard of a desktop computer, reverberated on the walls.

A woman who was sitting on a chair was typing something on the computer. The virtual window screen provided a little illumination at her face and her room.

Suddenly a virtual window popped out in the middle of the screen.

"Ms. Rena, Takano-San wants to talk to you", the male voice said as the woman fixed her glasses on her nose. She fixed her brown hair and tightened her white lab coat and cravat around her white blouse and black blazer skirt.

"Ok," she said firmly, but the person on the other end added "Through audio." The woman looked down and sighed in disappointment.

"Ok", she said again. The virtual window disappeared and another reappeared with an indicator "Audio Only" written in the middle.

"Konbanwa (Good Evening) Rena," a voice of a woman said.

"Good Evening, Ms. Takano."

"The "cargo" from New York has just arrived at Narita", the woman said and continued, "And will be delivered there…shortly."

Rena, the woman, closed her eyes and answered. "Yes Ma'am… May I ask?"

"Yes?" the woman answered immediately.

"What was the cargo-"

"No need to know. Rena", the woman said with firmness.

"Yes Ma'am", Rena answered and looked down.

"However…I might tell you a hint though." Rena suddenly looked at the screen as the voice continued, "It is the 'source, the reason of everything'." Rena let out a silent gasp after the virtual window disappeared, ending the conversation with the woman. Her eyes were wide, startled from what the voice had said.

* * *

_It's…dark…_ a voice of a man echoed throughout a vast open dark space.

_It's…cold…_the voice said again.

_So…this is the underworld…hmm…_the man, who seemed to be floating in the darkness of the space, said. However, slowly a small light appeared in front of him.

_Hmm…? What's that…_the light grew and grew until the man was almost enveloped by it.

* * *

YEAR : 2048 (6 YEARS LATER)

The sound of a beeping, coming from a BP Monitor, echoed throughout a room.

The room was a hospital room, and the air in it was cold. In the hospital bed laid a man, covered in a white blanket.

The man's chest rose as he breathed, accompanied by the sound from the BP monitor standing beside his bed together with the IV.

The man then grunted and slowly opened his eyes. His brown, empty eyes looked straight at the white ceiling and then slowly moved to the BP monitor.

The man raised his left hand and tried to reach the BP Monitor, trying to shut it off. Suddenly he heard the door of his room being opened, and the man eyed a woman who he presumed to be a nurse -since she was wearing white clothes.

"Oh!" she let out a short gasp after her eyes made eye contact with the man's brown eyes.

"Mr. Miles, are you awake?" The nurse approached the man who was looking at her.

"Wha—" the man attempted to speak but his voice croaked; his throat was dry.

"Yes, Mr. Miles?"

"Where…am…I?" the man slowly said. He raised his left hand and tried to reach the nurse.

The nurse touched the hand and said "It's all right Mr. Miles everything is okay," with assurance. She pressed something on the wall, above the man's head, and a virtual window appeared, showing the man's current medical status.

"You're in Tokyo University Medical Centre." The nurse added after she swiped the virtual window out of the wall. "We'll call your Aunt immediately."

The man's brown eyes slowly moved to look at her. He wanted to ask more but he felt a pain on his head and he was too weak to raise his left hand again and call the nurse. The nurse then went out to call the relative, leaving the man alone.

* * *

AFTER ONE HOUR

After the nurse left the room, the man looked at the window beside him. He could see the clear, blue sky with a little bit of clouds floating above.

"Tokyo…Medical…?" he said. The man was still in a daze. _How did I get here…? _He thought as his eyes darted away from the window to the white wall on the foot of his bed.

He heard the door opening again and his eyes slowly moved to the door and saw the nurse form before… and a woman behind her.

The woman was wearing a green blouse and a brown skirt, her brown hair waved as she approached him.

"Miles? Thank God you're awake." Her brown eyes seemed to be in a brink of tears because of happiness.

The man only looked at her. _Who…is she…?_ He thought hard for the identity of the woman.

"I'm…Sorry but…" he started, and the woman looked at him, "Who…are you?" The woman blinked, surprised from what the man had said.

The woman touched his left hand said "Do you know your name…?" she asked, her voice was low and sad.

"Um…" the man thought for a moment. _My name…? _His eyebrows furrowed. _…What is this…? Why am I…drawing a blank?_

He looked at the woman's eyes and thought of what to tell her. "I'm sorry…I…don't know." The woman closed her eyes and then asked the nurse beside her, "What happened to him…?"

"He might be suffering from amnesia since his head suffered from _a blunt trauma_. Excuse me", the nurse then bowed and left the room again, leaving the two alone.

"Miles…my dear, can't you really remember your name…?" The woman asked again, and the man only nodded.

The woman sighed then said "Your name, my dear, is Desmond Miles. I am your aunt, my name is Rena Claythorne."

The man blinked twice and focused his eyes on the woman. _My name…is Desmond Miles…?_ The man thought for a while in silence.

The woman named Rena then took out her cell phone from her pocket. She opened something on her phone and then gave it to him.

"This was you and me when we went to Norway two years ago." The man named Desmond looked at the photo. He saw himself wearing a white bonnet and a white winter jacket; he was also holding a pair of ski gears and a goggle.

"We went to a skiing trip…this was taken there", Desmond stared at it for a moment, "right before you met an accident…" Rena's voice trailed away.

"Um…Aunt Rena." The woman looked at him. "I'm sorry…but…is this really my face?" Desmond asked as the woman smiled.

"Yes…if you want to see it yourself." The woman opened a drawer beside the bed and took out a hand mirror.

"Here…" Desmond received the mirror and looked at his face.

He looked at his eyes which were brown, and then at his brown hair -but he stopped when he noticed a vertical scar on the right side of his lips.

"That scar of yours…" his Aunt said then continued, "You got it from a bike accident when you were 10 years old."

Desmond put the mirror down and asked "What…happened to me? In Norway?"

"Well…there was an avalanche on the ski slope; you hit your head on a tree while you were running away from the avalanche and…" Rena stopped and gulped. Desmond noticed the woman's uneasiness and slowly smiled.

"It's…all right…Aunt." Rena looked at him and she also smiled. "I guess…I had a nasty accident."

"Indeed, but I'm really glad that my nephew is alive…" Rena moved closer and hugged the man tightly.

After the hug the woman put her hand on her handbag that was on the top of the drawer and took out something.

Desmond looked at the collar like device on the woman's hand. "Your Neuro-Linker was destroyed on the avalanche; I couldn't retrieve all of the data, so I bought you a new one."

The woman handed the device to Desmond, who was puzzled by its appearance.

"I've…used this before?" Desmond raised it above, using his right hand.

"Yeah", Rena said with a smile.

The man looked at her and said "I can't seem to recall…"

Rena sighed and said "I'll teach you, there should be a tutorial there on how to use it, but first let me put it on you."

Desmond gave the Neuro-Linker to her. The woman then moved closer and slowly attached the device on the man's neck.

"Since you forgot how to use it…then you might get a shock at first, but it will soon disappear." Rena then pressed the small button on the middle of the device.

The device made a whirled sound and the man gasped after a virtual window pop out in front of him. "You're the only one who can see it…but I'll still guide you", the woman smiled to the oblivious man.

* * *

AFTER 3 HOURS

"And that is how you use the global net", Rena finished her tutorial. Desmond swiped the virtual window in order to close it, and thanked his Aunt.

"Thank you for teaching me."

"Oh well…it's not that hard. So you know now how to use it?" Desmond nodded as the woman stood up from her chair.

A virtual window suddenly popped out on her Neuro-Linker, advising that the visitor's hour was already over.

"Visiting hour is over. I'll go home, Desmond." Rena walked to the door, but turned around after she opened it. "Just don't get too addicted to it…ok?" the man nodded while his aunt closed the door.

Desmond sighed and slumped to the bed. He looked up at the white ceiling for a couple of minutes. Then he swiped his right finger downward to access his Neuro-Linker's menu. He pressed the internet and 'surf the web'.

He searched for the Avalanche incident that occurred in Norway.

"Deadly Avalanche…in Norway," Desmond read the news clipping, "50 tourists presumed dead, 5 still missing…" he continued.

His right hand moved up to scroll down the virtual article and then he stopped and selected another news article.

"**Abstergo Industries filed bankruptcy, due to close next week.**" Desmond stared at the title.

His eyes narrowed and he let out a short grunt. _Abstergo…_he thought for a moment but was then interrupted when he heard his door open again.

"Mr. Miles." It was the nurse from before.

"We're shutting down our Public Global Network. You should rest." Desmond nodded before the nurse went out and closed the door.

Desmond closed the virtual window and looked at the white ceiling again.

…_It sounds familiar…_Desmond thought again and rose his left hand. "Desmond Miles…that is me," he said and sighed. The man was about to bring down his hand when he noticed something on his forearm; a tattoo.

Desmond looked at the tattoo which bears a shape of an eagle, its wings spread on the top part.

"It sounds…familiar", he said as he closed his eyes.

* * *

Woo-Hoo! My new story! Action will start at chapter 4 or 5, unfortunately. :) Special Thanks to Villalala


	2. Chapter 2 : Weclome to Accel World

Chapter 2

* * *

Desmond and his Aunt were both discussing about his health, inside the hospital room, after he was examined by the doctor.

"The doctor said that you were only suffering from retrograde amnesia", the aunt said before she sighed. "Good thing though that your brain isn't damaged and no major organs were affected", his aunt smiled.

"Yes…I'm very glad", Desmond, who was sitting on his hospital bed, said.

"Well, good thing that you can get out of the hospital tomorrow. I'm so lonely when I'm inside my own condominium, without _'my_ _loveable'_ nephew…" his aunt said jocularly and hugged the man tightly.

Desmond laughed at his aunt while she was hugging him tightly. "I really am glad that you're alive, Desmond…" he looked over his shoulder where his aunt's head rest.

"Aunt?"

"Please call me Rena…it makes me feel old when you call me 'Aunt'."

Desmond smiled and said "Rena."

Rena moved away and sat down on the chair and looked at him. "Desmond there's something I should've said to you on the day we first met…" The woman's tone was sad.

The man looked at her eyes and listened.

"It's about your parents…" Rena paused and made a side-glance to the left then continued. "You see, your parents were both working for the U.N. They belonged to a sector that specialized in relief operations whenever a calamity or war struck."

Desmond eyes widened after what his aunt said to him.

"What happened…?"

"They were…" Rena looked down in sadness. "They were both killed during a relief operation in Iran. There was a civil war there, many years ago, and they were sent for proposing a peaceful truce between the people and their government."

Desmond looked down at the white sheets, saddened that his parents met a tragic fate. Then he looked at Rena, whose eyes were on the verge of bursting tears.

"I'm so sorry…Rena." The woman looked at his eyes. "I…made you worry", he continued.

The woman smiled and wiped away the tears that were forming on her eyes.

"W-well! Also I'm really am glad that you still know how to speak Japanese! Haha!" The woman stood up and laughed, changing the subject completely, "Because if you'd forgotten, I wouldn't have taught you again!" She added and smiled at him.

Desmond felt happy after he saw his Aunt, who might be his last relative in this world, smile.

"Oh!" A virtual window pop out on Rena's Neuro-Linker, telling her that visitor's time was over.

"I'm going home Desmond. You'll be discharged by three in the afternoon, tomorrow." His aunt opened the door and closed it after she turned around, smiled, and said "Welcome home…Desmond."

* * *

(The Next Day)

Desmond, with his white hood up, was sitting on the backseat of his Aunt's car. They were travelling along one of the highways in the city.

Desmond looked outside his window and saw tall buildings, scraping the sky, some high-rise apartments and hotels and some schools.

"Desmond," he looked in front. "I don't want to rush you, but college will start next month. I'm worried about your education since you didn't take any university entrance exam yet."

"Yeah… and?"

"So which university entrance exam will you take?" the man thought for a moment and said. "I… well-haven't decided yet. I don't know the universities here-"

"Oh, it's fine _Des-y_ let's pick later when we reach our condominium." Desmond smiled and rested his head on his seat. From under his white hood he looked up to the clear, blue sky. Slowly he closed his eyes and dozed off.

* * *

(2 Hours later)

"We're here!" Desmond slowly opened his eyes, waking up by his Aunt's cheerful call. She went outside of her car. Desmond scratched both of his eyes and yawned. He looked outside and saw a glass door.

He slowly opened the car door and stood on the sidewalk. He looked up and saw the condominium. It was a high-rise building.

"This is our home Desmond, Sunnyside Condominium. It had 20 floors in it, and we live on the tenth floor." Rena said and pointed at the crowded sidewalk.

"As you can see there's a cake shop there, a convenience store and some restaurants. This condo is conveniently near to a university too." Desmond looked around his surroundings.

The sidewalk has trees planted on the sides, restaurants and shops were open and bustling with people.

"Let's go now Desmond. Our home awaits," Rena held the man's right hand and cheerfully walked with him.

Desmond followed her and smiled because his Aunt was happy.

"Here we are!" Rena opened the door of the condominium. Desmond slowly entered and looked around.

There was a television set, a couch and a CD rack in the living room, a useful kitchen on the left with a table. It was a nice place.

"Ah Desmond," the man looked at Rena who was pointing at his black rubber shoes.

"Take off your shoes before you enter the house. It's a Japanese culture."

"Oh." The man took off his shoes and put them on the shoe rack which was standing beside the door.

"Okay then, here's your room." Rena guided the man; pass the kitchen, to the end of the hallway.

Desmond opened the door slowly and went inside. He looked around his room and saw a bed covered in blue blankets, a sturdy study table and a bookshelf. There was also a verandah with a magnificent view of the city.

"So you like it?"

"It's good." Desmond said as he sat on the bed.

"I'll cook dinner for tonight, try to sleep for the rest of the afternoon." Rena closed the door and left the man alone.

Desmond looked around one more time and sighed. He stripped of his white hoodie and slumped on the bed with his black T-shirt and jeans only.

_I feel tired…_he closed his eyes and soon dozed off to sleep.

* * *

_Where…am …I _Desmond looked around. The darkness, that surrounded him, seemed to stretch for eternity.

_Desmond…wake up…_the man then heard a voice. He looked around for the source of the voice-a man's.

_Desmond! Please you have to wake up! _The voice screamed from many directions. Desmond suddenly felt his ears and headache; he covered his ears and grunted in pain.

_Desmond! Desmond! Des-_

"Ah!" Desmond woke up with a cold sweat, pouring down on his face. He sat straight up and breathed heavily.

"A dream…" he said to himself.

He stood up and walked towards his closet. He was about to change his shirt when he heard a knock on his door.

"Des-y, dinner is ready!" Rena shouted as the man took off his black shirt.

"Coming! I'll change first."

Desmond then took a white shirt from the closet, put it on and went to the kitchen.

* * *

"Ah! Thanks for the meal!" Rena said happily and rested her back on the chair. Desmond, who was sitting opposite of her, also said the same thing.

"Thanks for the food."

"My, my, Des-y you ate most of my curry, I'm surprised you even ate the carrots."

Desmond smiled and asked "Carrots?"

"Yeah, you see… you hated eating carrots; you even said that if you were caught by some terrorist and give you two choices which were: spilling the info or eat a bowl of carrots, you will rather spill precious info than eating one."

Desmond's face turned red from embarrassment. He looked down and tried to hide his reddening face. "Um…So I hated carrots before?"

"Yup, totally!" Rena laughed as she picked up her plate and put it in the sink.

She then returned and sat on the chair and said "Desmond, I'm going to give you something." Desmond looked up with a desert spoon in his mouth.

"What is it?"

"It is something the Trans-about my own work." Rena smiled and took out a cable from her skirt pocket.

"I'm going to connect to your Neuro-Linker. Can I?" The man nodded and took the other end of the cable and attached it on his Neuro-Linker on his neck.

A virtual window suddenly popped out on his Neuro-Linker, warning him about the attachment of the other device.

"Isn't wired connection bypasses 90% of your Neuro-Linker's security system… dangerous?" Desmond asked, but his Aunt smiled.

"I'm not going to pass you a virus nor invade your personal files -if you have any." Rena's hand, then pressed something on her virtual window which sent a notification to the man.

Desmond looked at the virtual window that popped out suddenly.

YOU RECEIVED AN APPLICATION WOULD YOU LIKE TO INSTALL IT?

He looked at Rena, whose face was locked on a smile, with uneasiness.

"Trust me Desmond… this would be fun." Desmond then smiled, nodded, and pressed the virtual button.

Desmond let out a gasp after the virtual window burst into flames, accompanied by a loud sound effect.

"Wh—" the flames, then morphed and turned into several jagged letters, forming into words.

BRAIN BURST NOW INSTALLING

_10…20…30…_

Desmond watched as the installation bar, which was a small fireball, moved.

_40…50…60… _

"Rena this is…?"

"A game that the company I worked at, created it. It's called Brain Burst." The man watched the flames fill up the installation bar. _Almost there… _he thought.

_80…90…100… _

The installation bar disintegrated and the flames, then morphed again and created another set of words.

Desmond read the letters slowly. "Welcome…to the Accelerated World."

* * *

Chapter 2 is up! special thanks to Villalala for beta-reading :)


	3. Chapter 3 : The Silver Animus

Chapter 3

* * *

The words burnt in Desmond's eyes like a fire torch. He gulped and looked at Rena who was still smiling.

"Is it successful?"

The man looked at the words again, then back to her. "Yeah, it is."

Rena's smile grew wider and giggled. "Thank God it worked…" she whispered and continued, "Now then, let's try this Desmond, are you up for another one?" The man smiled nervously. He wasn't sure of what the woman would command him to do.

"Yeah… I still can", Desmond weakly replied.

"Ok Des-y. All you need to do is to shout the words Burst Link. Ready?"

Desmond only nodded. The two silently breathed the air and, suddenly, with force and power, shouted.

"BURST LINK!"

Desmond suddenly felt a force pushing him out of the chair. He staggered and stood up, being startled. The whole kitchen and even the whole condo unit where he was right now…It had all become blue.

"What on… Earth?" he said and was startled to see his own self, still sitting on the chair.

"Welcome Desmond, to the Accelerated world." He turned around and was startled to see Rena, wearing a green dress and a large straw hat on her head, standing beside herself, who was also sitting on the table. What startled him were the wings -a pixie like- shining on the back of the woman.

"Rena… what's all this? Did we stop or time itself stop?" Desmond approached his figure on the chair and touched the head.

_I couldn't even feel and move 'myself'… _he tried to push his figure off the chair but it didn't even budge.

"No, the time didn't stop," he looked at Rena, who touched her figure's head, "In fact we're being accelerated."

The man stared at her, processing every word that Rena had said. Rena sighed and explained.

"The Brain Burst Program is a program that interfered and interprets your brainwaves. To be precise it interacts with your five senses. It may look like time itself stopped, but, in reality the program 'accelerates' your brain waves, and mostly, your sense of time."

"Uh…" the man looked around, oblivious to his new surroundings.

"Why is it color-"

"Why is everything blue? It's because of the social cameras mounted on our wall." Rena pointed one on the wall above the refrigerator.

"The program used the inputs of the Social camera to create a 3D environment, such as this one." Desmond stared at the Social Camera.

_Everything came from there…it's too small… _he looked at Rena and asked "What happened to you?"

"Oh this, I design my own Avatar in Virtual world, everyone can connect and meet in there," she paused and touched her left wing, "but not here, in this Accelerated world."

She then looked at Desmond and giggled.

"I think you should design your own Virtual Avatar too Desmond, you can't just wear a white shirt and black jeans here." Desmond looked down at his appearance, and then smiled.

"I think I'll do that later…" he paused and asked again "What is Brain Burst Program, Rena?"

Rena stared at him. She closed her eyes, sighed and explained.

"Brain Burst Program is a game that Transcendence Corporation has developed." She paused and looked at the man, who was listening intently. "It was launched in the year twenty-thirty nine. Originally this game was augmented reality game that shows and measures a human's mental capabilities, such as Adrenaline strength, sudden surge of agility and… some other stuff." She paused and looked at Desmond who only nodded.

"And what happened?"

"This game wasn't finished yet though, but we launched it for…" she paused and made a side-glance to the left, "_experimental reasons,_"

Desmond only nodded and looked around. _I still can't believe… that technology has reached this far…_ he was still thinking when Rena spoke again.

"Now then, shall we see your dual Avatar?" Desmond turned to her.

"What?"

"Your duel Avatar." Desmond stared at her, quizzically.

Rena then pressed something on her virtual window which sent an invitation to the man. Desmond looked at the virtual window after it pops out.

A CHALLENGER APPEARED!

ACCEPT CHALLENGE?

YES OR NO

"Duel? We're going to battle?"

"Not really, we'll just let the time run out." Desmond gulped down and looked at the virtual window. He made a one last look at Rena and then accepted the challenge.

Desmond watched in amazement as the walls, the tables and even his own figure on the chair, slowly disintegrate into thin air.

He looked up and saw the roof disintegrate and was replaced by a starry night sky, the wooden floor under his feet changed into a cold grassy ground and the moonlight shined onto him.

* * *

The man looked around to the new 3D environment. He was no longer in his condo unit; he was already in a vast huge Savannah desert.

"Oh… Night sky Savannah stage huh. Not bad I guess." Desmond looked beside him and saw Rena.

"Rena… this is amazing." He praised Rena and was about to touch her when he raised his left hand saw something strange.

_What-the!_ Desmond was startled to see his whole forearm, which was covered with hard, metal, silver color forearm bracer.

"You're amazing to Des-y", Rena said as she moved closer. She then pointed at the ground.

"There's a puddle here… why don't you take a look at yourself?"

Desmond then nodded and approached the puddle of water. He looked down and was startled.

_This… is my duel Avatar…?_ Desmond stared down at his duel avatar which has a pair of sharp white eyes and vertical lined that rundown on the middle of his face which was all glowing in white.

His shiny silver shoulder guard shone brightly against the water. His chest plate was also covered with silver metal armor and a panel which also covered his abdomen and connected to his huge silver belt.

Desmond stared at the belt which had something like a symbol on it; an upside down letter V. Then he looked at his lower extremities; his thigh and his knee were both covered by silver metal armor. But the most peculiar thing that he noticed was the white robe.

Desmond looked turned his back and looked at his white robe with the hood covering his head. He saw the design on the back -an eagle spreading its wings.

"Impressive…" Desmond looked at Rena, whose eyes, seemed to be sparkling with excitement.

"This is the first time… that I've seen a Duel Avatar with a robe and a strong, chromed color." She moved closer and rose her right hand to touch the man's left cheek.

"Rena…?"

"I like it Des-y. The design, "she moved her hand down and stayed at the chest armor, "and its power", she added and turned away.

Desmond turned back to the puddle and took a one last look. The hood of his robe had a sharp, pointed metal at the tip, making him look like an eagle. "Who created this avatar? It Looks… unique." He said after a wind brush against him, making his robe moved.

"You did." Rena answered with her back facing the man.

"Me…? How…?" Desmond answered in disbelief.

Rena then turned to face him.

"You see Des-y; the Brain Burst Program has an access to the brain of the user. It analyses the users thinking, its perspective, and, most of all," she paused and continued, "the users' fears and what he ashamed of."

Desmond stared at her. _What… I ashamed of? What I fear?_ He thought for a moment.

He looked up and saw two pairs of virtual bars.

_A virtual bars? That must've been my life point_ he looked at the bright blue bar and an empty bar below, then he saw a name above those life point bars.

"Epiphany Pixie," he said the name of the Avatar.

"That's my duel avatar's name in this world." Rena said and pointed at the other bar. Desmond looked at the word written on the virtual window -his avatar's name.

"SILVER ANIMUS", he said slowly.

* * *

"Silver Animus… it fits your avatar", Rena said with a smile.

Desmond, without looking at her, asked. "Rena… what do I fear? What am I ashamed of?"

Rena looked down to the grass; she didn't know what to answer. "I don't know Des-y… even though we're close… you never told me anything more about yourself."

Desmond looked at her. He, too, didn't know what to say. He just grunted and blamed himself for not being open to her. He looked down to grassy earth.

"Now then, let me explain your color and your Avatar ability Des-y!" Rena cheerfully said, completely changing the subject.

Desmond looked at her, surprised at her fast recovery and immediate change of attitude. He dismissed his plan on pressing her further about himself and smiled. "Ok then Rena," he simply said. He made a promise to himself that for now on he would be open to her.

* * *

The two people stood on the grassy field while the wind was blowing. Rena was discussing with Desmond about chromed colors, especially the color silver.

"Silver Animus, by its namesake, was colored silver. Metallic colors are rare and they have resistance against amputation, piercing, fire and poison. Your melee attack might be decent." She paused, then continued. "But you're weak against corrosion and impact attacks", She finished her explanation.

"So I must avoid opponents who are good at melee and impact attacks, huh."

"Yes." Desmond looked at the virtual window in front of him, which showed his the name of his avatar and his abilities.

"Now then tell me your abilities." Rena moved closer and opened a virtual window.

"Well…" Desmond looked again. His dual avatar had a list of all of his abilities which he said, one by one, to her.

**NORMAL ABILITIES:**

**Dual Hidden Blade**

**Multiple Rope Dart**

**Eagle Vision**

**CLASSIC ABILITY:**

**Altair Eagle Wing**

**Ezio Poison Blade**

**Connor Knife Launcher**

**Edward Dual Pistol**

**SPECIAL/FINISHING MOVE:**

**Altair Arrow Rain**

**Ezio Quick Pistol**

**Connor Tomahawk Combo**

**Edward Golden Shield**

"Looks promising and lethal", Rena said after Desmond finished his dictation. Desmond was about to close his virtual window when he noticed another table below his last special move.

"Rena, there's one more," Desmond moved his right hand up and scroll the window down.

"What does it say?"

The man looked at the word that was written on the window: **INCARNATE SKILLS**, he looked at the list below but he stopped. There were four incarnate skills, but it was written in question marks, the names were not displayed.

"There're no names, just question marks", he said and closed the virtual window.

Rena looked up and saw the timer on the virtual status bar. They only have twenty seconds left before the match would end.

"This is odd," she said and fixed her glass on her eyes. "Desmond, let's call it a day", Rena smiled as the timer above them reached zero. The virtual bars disappear and the whole 3D environment began to disintegrate.

* * *

Desmond blinked and looked around. He was now sitting on the chair he had been sitting on before he and his aunt had entered that world.

"We Burst Link at 10:30, nine seconds before thirty-one." Rena removed her glasses on her eyes and put it on the table.

Desmond looked at the clock. _It's still 10:30... five seconds to thirty-one_ he stared at the clock with amazement.

_We stayed there for how many minutes and yet when we got back… we only spent 4 second? Amazing _Desmond was still thinking in amazement when his Aunt called him.

"Desmond, I'm going to sleep now, I'll wash the dishes tomorrow." Rena stood up and removed her apron on her waist.

"Oh, by the way do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Desmond looked up while finishing his pudding.

"I might inquire to a nearby university tomorrow."

"Oh, that's good. I'll warn you though." She approached him and said. "Don't connect to the Global Network tomorrow. Promise to me that, ok?" Desmond only nodded before his Aunt went inside her room, bid him a good night and closed her door.

* * *

Chapter 3 is up! Special Thanks to Villalala for beta-reading :)


	4. Chapter 4 : The Silver Debuts

Chapter 4

* * *

Desmond silently ate his breakfast on the table; he yawned before he took a bite of the bread that he was eating while watching the morning news on the television.

The news on the TV was about the closing of an American billion dollar company called Abstergo Industries.

"Hmm…Abstergo…that sounds very familiar…" he chewed then gulped down his food before standing up and walked to the bathroom to take a bath.

* * *

"Ok…good thing they accept special cases," Desmond walked outside the bustling, noisy, university gate, with satisfaction.

Suginami Community College, although not famous, was a college that accepts foreigners, students with special cases like him. Like any other college it has many educational courses, but the college was, mostly known, for computer engineering and I.T. courses.

Desmond folded the brochure about the computer engineering course and put it in his white jacket pocket. He walked along the crowded sidewalk with his hoodie covering his head.

"I talked in Japanese…I must've sounded funny," Desmond talked to a lot of people, mostly in the administration office. Even though he has amnesia; he still has the ability to speak in multiple languages including Japanese. However, he must have, if he could remember right, a strong American accent which would sound funny to Japanese people.

_And…I'm hungry. _Desmond looked at his wristwatch to check the time; it was already noon and his stomach grumbled in hunger.

He looked at the shops as he passed them by while walking slowly before he noticed a coffee shop ahead.

"Maybe a quick bite might not hurt," he said and pressed the button on his neuro-linker which automatically connects him to the Global Network.

The man sat on the chair inside the coffee shop. He looked around and saw some high school girls sitting in one corner, giggling and telling stories, some office worker silently sipping his coffee.

Desmond stopped looking and began eating his food. He sighed and looked at the T.V. on the wall.

"Baseball hmm…" Desmond sighed and looked away from the sports channel and was about to take a sip of his coffee when he saw something that made him pause in his actions.

"What the!" everything, even the people and the surroundings outside the coffee shop, stopped and suddenly turned blue; he felt a force trying to separate himself from his body.

_Did I just…accelerate? _Suddenly he remembered what Rena said to him about not connecting to the Global Network. _Great…_he regrettably thought as everything around him began to disintegrate.

* * *

Desmond, in his white robed duel avatar, looked around the 3D environment of the Accel World.

The buildings around him, which were all shiny and strong skyscrapers back in reality, were now rusty and weak. The sky above him was red and rumbling with thunder. The highway, which he saw from the inside of the coffee shop, where he was sitting right now, was littered with trash, junk and metal.

It was like he was in an Apocalyptic-like place.

Desmond looked up after virtual words pop out above him.

HERE COMES A NEW CHALLENGER!

"Great…should not have turned my neuro-linker on," Desmond protested after a pair of virtual bars appeared and shows his Avatar's name…and his enemy.

"Ash Roller…?" Desmond read the name but then he heard a voice from above.

"Oh…what's this, a newbie?"

"A newbie, he's level 1…and he's wearing a white robe!"

"He's a dead man…but his white robe looks cool, but still a dead man."

"But he's chrome silver colored…I guess he'll survive."

"Just like the other one…"

Desmond darted his eyes to the roof top and stopped after he saw 5 figures standing on the ledge of the building.

"Spectators?" Desmond stared at them then suddenly he heard a roar of a machine.

Desmond darted and squinted his eyes after he saw a bright light coming towards him. With quick reflexes, he jumped to the left and landed on the ground. A large red motorcycle hurled in his direction and almost hit him.

The motorcycle then turned and stopped as Desmond stood back up.

"Lucky! For a long time, I have an enemy!" Desmond looked up and saw the Dual Avatar riding on the motorcycle.

The Dual Avatar has a skull head, wears a red biker jacket with shoulder pads on with two protruding spikes on each one and long red pants with a yellow flame design on the front.

"This is Ash Roller…?" Desmond stared at him intently, He's got a motorcycle! I have no chance of winning! He thought as the Dual Avatar spoke again.

"And it's a low weakling newbie! Mega-lucky!" he pointed at him menacingly.

"And as for you…I'm level 7! You're Giga-unlucky!" Ash Roller revs up his motorcycle and moves forward with a thrust.

"Shit! I'm running!" Desmond ran as fast as he could but his biker enemy caught behind him…and hit him on the back.

"Aah!" Desmond was thrown upward due to the force of the impact. His Life points on the virtual bar immediately decrease halfway from full.

Desmond landed on the ground with a loud thud. He felt the pain all over his body, like it was real and it was there.

_Shit…even the pain is real!_ He looked in front and saw the motorcycle turned to be pointing again in his direction.

"What…are my weapons…" he said silently as he stood up. The motorcycle revs again and hurled towards him.

Desmond gritted his teeth and thought. He remembered what Rena had told him about his powers, he dictated all of his skills to her. Suddenly, the man's eyes lit up and jumped to the right to avoid the oncoming Biker Avatar.

"Dual Hidden Blade!" he shouted and heard a metallic sound on his wrist. He looked down and saw two blades which came out from his bracers; each was only 5 inches long.

"Damn it! This isn't enough-" he heard the rev of the motorcycle again.

"Why are you standing there loser?" Ash Roller shouted and hurled faster towards him.

"One hit and I'm dead!" Desmond ran again and thought of other weapons and skills.

"What skills do I have other than this?" he shouted again then he remembered.

He turned around and faced the oncoming rider, "Multiple Rope Dart!" he shouted and his shoulder pads suddenly opened. Three knives each on his shoulder pads came out and ejected.

The man's knives spread in many directions before it all turned to one, which was the Duel Avatar named Ash Roller.

"W-What the-!" before he could finish his sentence one of the knives pierced his chest and pushed him off of his motorcycle. The motorcycle, with no controller, still moved towards Desmond.

"Oh shit!" Desmond shouted and froze in his spot. _Goddamn it! What skill can I-_then he remembered another skill of his.

The motorcycle was about to hit him when he raised both of his hands and shouted, "Edward Golden Shield!" a burst of golden light came out from his hands and enveloped him.

The Spectators on the roof tops let out a gasp and were in awe after the golden light disappeared; the front wheel of the motorcycle was only an inch away from the man's head.

Desmond stared at the wheel in front of him before he gulped down and exhaled.

"I…made it…I…" he looked above and saw the enemy's Life point which was, still, near full. The enemy was still alive.

He looked down to the road and saw the enemy, grunting under the pain. One of his rope darts was still piercing the enemy's chest.

Desmond's eyes sharpened and walked towards him. "Dual Hidden Blade," he murmured and reached the enemy.

"Heh…nice…one…dude," Ash Roller said.

Desmond looked at his life points again and saw the green bar below it, which shows the energy points for special and finishing skills. It was half full.

"Hmph…you almost killed me," Desmond looked down to the dual avatar then continued. "Now let's finish this," Desmond then kneeled and stabbed Ash Roller right in the neck.

The life point of his opponent decreases as he repeatedly stabs him in the neck until his special skill bar was filled.

Desmond stared at the dying Dual Avatar while he activated another one of his skills, "Edward Dual Pistol!"

The chest armour panel on his Duel Avatar opened and two small pistols came out. Desmond took it and aimed both at the head of his opponent.

"Good Game," Desmond pressed the triggers on both pistols after Ash Roller said this. The remaining blue bar on his opponent's life points emptied following the loud shot from his pistols.

Desmond looked at the dual avatar named Ash Roller as it suddenly exploded and produced a towering beam of light then a death marker appeared after it disappeared, showing his opponents name and time before he re-spawns.

Desmond stood up and sighed.

"Today's a tiring day…" then he heard applause from the spectators above him. He looked up and saw the other Dual Avatars, with different shapes and sizes with what-seem-to- be armaments on their bodies, clapping and cheering for him.

"That's a cool win!"

"Oh my! He's cute! Silver Animus was it? I'll add him to my watch list!"

"I'll add him to my friend list!"

"Oh I wanna see him IRL!"

"Join our guild Silver Animus!"

Desmond looked at them and just waved his hand as the 3D environment around him began to disintegrate signalling the end of the game.

* * *

Desmond and Rena were both sitting at the dinner table; it was already night time and the man was retelling the events that had transpired earlier.

"And that's what happened in the coffee shop…" Desmond finished his story and ate his pudding.

"And that's what you get for breaking your promises," Rena fixed her glass and smiled at the man.

She then drank the tea on the table and said with excitement, "Now then, congratulations on your debut as a Burst Linker Desmond!"

"Yeah…thanks…" Desmond said simply and sighed.

"So basically…Brain Burst is an augmented virtual reality multiplayer game that gives you access to any duel, whether you like it or not."

"Indeed it was," Rena agrees, sipping her tea again.

"Well…it hurts; I can still feel the pain right now," Desmond touched his shoulder and tried to stretch it.

"That's the thrill of that game Des-y; you can feel the pain like its real, because, the brain burst program not only accesses and interacts with your sense of time, it also manipulates your 5 senses," Rena explained as she finished her tea and refills it again.

Desmond only nodded then she continued.

"Neuro-Linker was made, originally, by Animus Technology which was invented by Abstergo Industries."

Desmond looked up after he heard the word Abstergo. "However, it has flaws which affect both the unit and user. You're prone to mental hacking, but that was changed after the invention was transferred to Transcendence Corporation, a subsidiary corporation of Abstergo."

Rena fixed her glasses again then looked at him. "However…as developer I'm quite saddened…"

"Saddened?" Desmond stopped chewing the desert in his mouth after hearing this.

"You see Desmond, right now, the problem of Accel World, is that there are _many_ players inside it," she paused and made a side glance to the left.

Desmond only nodded then she continued.

"The goal of the corporation is to create a perfect virtual environment…and a society with it. However, due to the immense power that was received by the burst linkers, it was completely forgotten," Rena sighed and rested her back on the chair.

"So what are you saying?"

"Accel World is in complete disarray…because of those burst linkers," Rena took a sip of her tea before sighing and closing her eyes.

"They damage the 'expected tranquility' of the game and some other players, due to the violent behaviours of Burst Linkers, started to not trust each other," she continued.

"I really wish I could do something… but I can't, if only there's someone who can restore the order inside Accel World…" she opened her eyes and looked straight at Desmond.

Desmond blinked twice, and took a sip of his tea before saying, "Uh, Rena," Rena smiled like a Cheshire cat.

"Are you requesting me to…uh…" he gulped down because of uneasiness and continued, "…to change Accel World?"

"Oh no Desmond, I'm only giving you a choice since I wish that you're a different Burst Linker than them," Rena said hurriedly and smiled.

"Oh…just ignore what I said, about the ideal Accel World," she stood and took her tea cup to put it in the sink.

Desmond thought for a moment. _Different Burst Linker, different than them…_he looked down and recalled his first battle.

The man thought that his first battle was his first taste of the harsh environment of Accel World. True enough about what Rena said, power, or more like the skills, which the player received, was very addictive and powerful. It will truly bring out nothing, but chaos.

Desmond then smiled after he reached a conclusion, "Rena," Rena stopped washing the dishes and looked at him.

"About what you said…I think I can be different," Rena stared at him as Desmond continued.

"Just for a while though…maybe I can change Accel World…" Rena stared at him for a moment then slowly a smile formed on her face.

"Well then…let me see if you can."

* * *

Finally Updated! Hoo-Hoo! Special thanks to Anime-Angel-Seza for beta-reading :)


	5. Chapter 5 : The Blue King is down

Chapter 5

"Good morning," Rena said cheerfully to Desmond, who was still half awake.

"Mornin'…" Desmond who was dressed in a white shirt and black shorts, slowly said while he yawned and scratched his eyes. This was his usual routine every morning.

"I made some tea and pancakes!" Rena put the man's breakfast on the table.

Desmond sat lazily in the chair and sighed. He ate silently while watching the TV and then shifted his gazed to the window, overlooking the city of Tokyo. It was, according to his description, as always, a noisy day.

He finished his breakfast before Rena spoke.

"Say Des-y, are you ready?" Rena put the plates on the sink and faced the man who only yawned.

"Yeah… But I think my level is too low, I'm level two," Desmond said, but Rena only smiled.

"Doesn't matter, levels are just numbers," she fixed her glasses; "they don't mean anything…" she smiled and took out a cable from her skirt pocket before sitting on the chair.

"I'm going to pass you something…" Desmond, lazily, took and connected the other end of the cable to his Neuro-linker.

Rena, for a minute, kept on swiping something on her Neuro-linker. Her fingers glided smoothly across and after a minute, she pressed a button which sends a file to the man. Desmond opened the file and saw a map of the whole Tokyo City.

"What's this…a map?" Desmond stopped chewing and pressed the map twice to zoom in.

"A map of 6 major Legions," Desmond stared at the map, first, then asked.

"Major Legions?"

"Yes. In Accel World, there were 6 Burst Linkers, who were all Level 9, the highest level for now, and they control the fields in this area."

Rena then pointed to the Metropolitan Area of Tokyo, which was shaded in Blue.

"This area is the territory of Leonids legion, which was led by a Burst Linker named Blue Knight. He was one of the level niners… and he's a sword master. He's got two lieutenants, whom I don't know anything about, that always support him."

Rena fixed her glasses and continued, "You can go there by train and get off at Shinjuku station; there you can go to the park in front of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories," Rena finished her explanation.

Desmond then noticed the other shaded parts and asked.

"What about the other places-"

"Oh no! I'll explain it to you later Des-y, I'm late!" Rena stood up, quickly, after checking her watch and ran towards her coat rack. She took it down, swung it forcefully around her shoulders, and put on her shoes.

"What am I going to do to him?"

"Sorry Des-y, I'm late for work! Just do whatever you can do," Rena opened the door outside their unit and bid farewell to Desmond, who was left hanging on a thread.

"How am I supposed to find him…?" Desmond sighed and looked at the TV. And if I find him…can I defeat him? He thought and slowly finished his coffee.

After arriving at Tokyo station, Desmond, wearing his white hoodie and a black t-shirt, walked with both of his hands in his black jeans pockets and passed the ticketing booth.

He walked with his black sneakers through the busy, morning crowd going out of the station. He grunted after he got outside and walked along the crowded side walk. The morning weather in Tokyo wasn't overly hot, but it was tolerable for him.

"A park hmm…" Desmond crossed the road and entered the park. He walked for a minute until he stopped and sat down on a bench, underneath a tree.

He looked around and saw the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Observatories, two towers rising from the ground. He then looked at the centre of the park where a tall marble clock monument stood.

"It's already 11…" he noted to himself then he put his hoodie on and lowered his head.

"Burst Link!" the world around him became blue and Desmond stood in front of his figure on the bench. He pressed the Brain Burst menu and looked at the duelling list.

"There are many burst linkers here…" Desmond looked at the list of several names that appeared.

"But I only have one target…and one target only…" he stopped and smiled. I studied my skills so I know all of them now…he then pressed a name of a Dual Avatar- the one named Blue Knight-.

Desmond looked around to the 3D stage environment. The whole park was turned into a deserted barren land. The Metropolitan Building still stands in the horizon but it was now a brown rusty colour.

The whole place was just like a wasteland city.

"Hmm…not much though…" Desmond walked along the hard earth towards the Metropolitan building. He arrived at the place and stopped.

"Eagle Vision," Desmond's vision suddenly turned infrared like after he spoke his skill. He looked around the entrance and saw three large, red humanoids standing at the entrance of the building.

"Avatars…" Desmond's vision changed back to normal.

"You! Standing there! Why are you here!?" Desmond looked at the three Avatars standing at the entrance.

One, standing on the left, is wearing a samurai-like armour and helmet with a single ponytail extended out of it. Another, standing on the right, has the same design except for the helmet with two ponytails extended out of it and just like the Avatar in the middle, both

of them were solidly coloured blue. In the centre, Desmond assumed to be Blue Knight since its armour looked like one, and it has a helmet with two horns like a bull. It was standing with its arms crossed on its chest, and it was the one that spoke.

"Do you have any idea where you are standing at?" Desmond, nervously, nodded.

"Leonids territory…your territory."

"You're a mere level two and yet you have the guts to challenge the king!" A voice of a girl came from the two ponytailed Avatar harshly.

King…? Did they really go that far? Desmond thought and looked down at the ground.

"I don't care…I came here to tell something to Blue Knight."

"Oh…and what is that?" The Blue Knight asked as Desmond, under his avatar's mask, gulped and spoke.

"That he must step down from his throne, dissolve the whole legion-" he looked at Blue Knight and continued, "And turn the whole Tokyo Metropolitan territory into a free zone for every Burst Linkers."

The person controlling the avatar Blue Knight frowned and grunted, but his Avatar didn't allow his expression to be seen.

"You! Do you even know who you are talking to!?" A different female voice came from the one pony tailed avatar, with her blue samurai sword unsheathed and pointed at him.

"Yeah, Blue King, who else."

Desmond's answer sparks the anger between the two female Avatar lieutenants further. They were about to attack him, but the avatar Blue Knight stopped them.

"I have never seen a duel avatar speak like that to me," he paused and looked at him. "Sorry…I like your guts, but…" he then looked at the lieutenant standing on his right, "I don't accept deals from strangers. Girls…if you please?"

Desmond looked up after the virtual bars appeared above him and showed his enemy's name. There were three of them.

MANGANESE BLADE

COBALT BLADE

BLUE KNIGHT

"Two level 7's, one level 9," Desmond said as he summoned his Dual Hidden Blade.

The two Avatars, Cobalt and Manganese Blade, ran towards him with their samurai swords unsheathed.

"You'll regret stepping into our territory! Silver Animus!" they said together as they swung their blades at Desmond.

Desmond dodged the blade swiftly to the left, then to the right. His life points were already decreased, but not yet half. His special energy bar isn't halfway yet, unfortunately.

"You're slow!" The one pony tailed Manganese Blade slashed Desmond on his chest. "He's all yours Cobalt!"

"Thanks!" Cobalt then slashed Desmond, horizontally, on his back.

"Gyahh!" Desmond felt the pain ran across his body and he hit the ground hard. His life points decreased, but his special attack bar increased.

The two avatars jumped backwards away from Desmond's avatar, Silver Animus and then immediately lunged towards him.

Desmond saw the oncoming twins and readied himself.

I have enough energy now! He stood up as the twins jumped high and descended with their blades aiming for him.

"This is the end!" they both shouted again, but Desmond raised both of his hands.

"Edward Golden Shield!" his shield skill appeared and blocked the oncoming attack. The twins grunted and tried to break the shield, but because of the force coming from the shield, they were both thrown away.

"How!"

"Too strong!"

The twins grunted in frustration and Desmond smiled under his avatar.

"My turn," he muttered and then called one of his skills, "Altair Eagle Wings!"

Blue Knight, who was watching the battle, and his two Lieutenants let out a gasp after a pair of wings sprouted from the Silver Animus' back.

"A winged avatar!" Blue Knight grunted and eyed the silver winged avatar. "Impossible…there should only be one…" he calmly protested.

"Wings…!" Cobalt Blade said as she took a step back.

"What should we do?!" Manganese Blade asked, nervous from the wings of the Silver Avatar.

"We attacked it! Destroy his wings!" Cobalt Blade jumped high and attempted to slash the wings of Silver Animus.

Desmond smirked, had already predicted such attacks from her, and called another ability of his.

"Multiple Rope Dart!" Desmond's knives ejected from his shoulder pads and hit Cobalt Blade's chest. She was pushed down hard enough that her life points decreased half way from full.

"You'll pay for that!" Manganese Blade jumped high and descended towards the silver avatar, but she was caught, also in the chest, by one of the rope darts.

"Gya!" the blue avatar shouted in pain and hit the ground hard and her life points decreased also halfway from full.

Now I got you two… Desmond smiled in triumphant as his strong wings flapped, hard enough that he flew above dragging the two Lieutenants, forcefully.

"I will spare you two if you convince your king to cooperate and accept my proposal!" Desmond shouted as he flew higher and higher.

The two avatars struggled with the rope darts attached to their chests.

"Put us down!"

"We'll never do that!"

Desmond sighed, having failed to convince them both.

"Very well…" he stopped ascending.

"You were warned," Desmond then suddenly flew upward before descending back to the ground.

The two avatars screamed and struggled in fright as Desmond detached the rope dart from their chests.

The two Lieutenants fall and hit the earth hard enough that it created a crater. The impact added with the force of descent, immediately took effect and decreased their life points, emptying the life point bar in the process.

Desmond landed and looked at his virtual bars above. The two other blue avatars were gone. It's just him…and the Blue Knight.

"I'm surprise that you defeated my two wingmen," Blue Knight said and raised his large blue sword and pointed it at Silver Animus.

"Yeah…and you just let it happen."

"Can you really defeat me?"

Desmond looked at his Life Points; it was half full while The Blue Knight's was still full. This is going to be tough…he thought.

"Well then…why don't you see it for yourself?" Desmond taunted, but before he could react, something swept passed his left cheek and before he could move…Blue Knight was already a hairs breadth away from his face.

"Ok then," Desmond jumped away to gain distance, but the Blue Knight disappeared and reappeared behind him. Blue Knight raised his blue sword and attempted to slash Desmond's head, but Desmond, due to his quick reflexes, avoided the attack and the sword only slashed the metal beak of his hoodie.

Desmond jumped back to gain distance and stared at Blue Knight.

Shit…he's fast…Desmond thought while the Blue Knight spoke.

"What's the problem? Where's that word that you spoke of a while ago? Eh," Desmond didn't reply and took a step back.

Blue Knight smiled under his avatar's mask and suddenly disappeared.

Desmond, wide eyed, looked behind him, expecting him to be there, but Blue Knight appeared in front of him and raised his sword.

A feint…attack…? Desmond watched as the sword descended towards his head. Oh no! Work golden shield! Now! He shouted mentally and frustrated.

"Good Riddance boy!" Blue Knight shouted and as the tip of his blue sword touched Desmond's robe hoodie a blinding golden light quickly appeared and protected the silver avatar.

"Wha-!" Before he knew it, Blue Knight was thrown away from Desmond while Desmond was shocked from what happened.

He looked up and saw that his Energy Bar was increasing, then he noticed the Blue Knight's energy bar was decreasing.

"What on earth—"

"What did you do!?" Blue Knight shouted as his energy bar stopped decreasing at halfway from full.

The effect of the shield…? Desmond thought, but he was cut from his thoughts when Blue Knight reappeared in front of him and attempted to cut Desmond's head. The man raised both of his hands and his golden shield protected him.

"I'll break that shield of yours!" Blue Knight slashed and slashed repeatedly, continuously hitting his shield. Desmond watched his energy bar began to increase again and the Blue Knight's decreasing.

Indeed this is an effect! Desmond thought excitedly as he walked backwards from Blue Knight's rampaging attack until Desmond memorized the pattern of his sword skill.

Left, right, slash upward, downward, Desmond's eyes trailed the movements of Blue Knight's hands. He kept walking backwards from the attack of the Blue King.

Desmond looked at the timer above.

I only have 120 sec left…I should finish this quickly he thought, hurriedly, and continued watching the movement of the hands of his enemy.

"My sword is one of the seven arcs; it has its own special ability, which I will use to end you," Blue Knight said calmly, but underneath he was enraged.

"Unlimited Driving Force!"

Desmond watched as Blue Knight jumped up and used his swords skill. The man braced himself as Blue Knight's hand drove his sword and hit the shield as many times as he could…in a very fast movement.

Come on…Come on! Desmond grunted and felt his shield was about to break. He almost couldn't see the blue avatar's hand due to his quick sword skill.

"This is the end!" Then the inevitable happens; Desmond's shield cracked and shattered into thousands of pieces. Blue Knight didn't waste time, he landed and raised his sword again, and in a fast movement, he thrust the sword in the silver avatar's head.

"Good Riddance" Blue Knight said triumphantly but then he was startled. Silver Animus, the silver avatar, disappeared. He turned around, but he wasn't there. Where did he go?!

"Hey! Up here!" Blue Knight looked up and was startled to see Silver Animus falling from the sky with a new weapon in his right hand, a sharp Tomahawk.

"Connor Tomahawk Combo!" Desmond shouted as his Tomahawk glowed in a blue colour.

Blue Knight attempted to block his attack, but the silver avatar slashed his Tomahawk…and cut off his right hand.

"Gahh!" Blue Knight grunted in pain as Desmond landed. He squatted, and using all of the force in his legs to thrust himself forward. With a force, drove his Tomahawk upward, hitting Blue Knight's chest.

"Gahh!" Blue Knight was thrown away from him due to the force; his Life points immediately decreased below half and stopped.

Desmond breathed hard as he returned his Tomahawk to the armour of his left thigh, which opened and closed after receiving it. He silently walked towards the crippled Blue Knight.

"Guhhh…how? Why do you have…a strong incarnate system…?" Blue Knight asked.

Desmond looked down and sighed.

"I have no idea what you're saying. I don't fully know my abilities…" Desmond heard a laugh from the fallen Blue Knight.

"A newbie…eh…"

"Yes, you were defeated by a newbie…" Desmond thought of another skill that he has, "and as a newbie I am eager to know more about my abilities."

He then shouted a skill.

"Ezio Poison Blade!" The bracer in both of his forearm's armour produced a blade.

Desmond looked at it; it was different from his dual hidden blade skill. The blades were coloured black and they were two inches longer than his dual hidden blade plus it was oozing a strange black liquid from the tip.

"Here goes nothing," Desmond said as he kneeled beside the Blue Knight and with one last look, he thrusts his blades into his chest.

The man looked up and watched as the life points of the Blue Knight began to plummet slowly. Suddenly, a virtual window appeared on the lower right side of his view which bears a sentence.

USURPING LIFE AND BURST POINT/S

"H-Hey! Don—stop!" Blue Knight suddenly moved and struggled to be free, but Desmond pushed the blade further into his chest.

The silver Avatar watched as the Blue Knight's burst points plummet from eight hundred. Desmond didn't feel remorse for the struggling Blue King as he usurped the burst points, instead he felt irate and triumphant.

Desmond wanted to continue usurping the points until it reach zero, but then he closed his eyes and withdraws his dual blades from the chest of the blue avatar, back to his bracer.

Desmond stood up and looked down to the Blue Knight with mocking eyes.

"You only have 10 remaining Burst Points," Desmond looked up and saw the life points of the blue avatar. One hit and the Blue Knight is dead.

"Let this serve as a reminder and your first lesson about the true nature of Accel World," Desmond looked down again to Blue Knight who grunted.

"I will…" Blue Knight said as he raised his left, remaining hand, "…find you! And I will destroy you!" Blue Knight shouted before Desmond sighed.

"The next time we meet…you'll be banned from Accel World," Desmond then shouted a skill.

"Edward Dual Pistol!" the panel on his armour that protects his abdomen opened and two pistols came out. The man took them out and pointed both at the head of the blue avatar.

"Good Game," Desmond said and fired his two guns, emptying the Blue Knight's life point bar and won.

Finally Updated! Special thanks to Anime Angel Serza and Villala for beta-read :)


	6. Chapter 6 : Silver's Plan

Chapter 6

"Ugh…" Desmond grunted after he finished the game. He felt the pain in his chest and in his back, the after effect of the Brain Burst program. He retracted his hoodie and looked at the marble clock tower.

"11 o'clock, thirty seconds to one …I accelerated for 30 seconds…" Desmond said and smiled. Even though he felt that he stayed in the game for an hour and returned and felt the after effect now, he was triumphant. His first mission and, probably, his first step in restoring the Accel World were...successful.

Desmond stood up and stretched. "I'm now level four, I should tell this to Rena," the man then began to walk towards the busy sidewalk, humming and looking forward.

_But…what will I do now…?_ He thought and crossed the street at a calm pace, together with some people, unaware that a man, who was standing beside a tree on the opposite end of the sidewalk, was staring at him.

* * *

Desmond stared at the city lights reflected on the veranda window of his condominium, he sighed at its beauty, 'the sparkling of the city matches this wine,' and that's what he thought. After Rena arrived he quickly retold the events that had transpired.

Rena listened intently; she made some remarks and gasped as Desmond described his attack. The man, however, continued and felt proud of what he had done. Then after he finished his story Rena smiled and offered him some wine, they ate a lavish meal to celebrate.

"It's really happening Des-y…" Rena stood beside him, holding a glass of red wine.

"The Accel world is finally restoring to its 'proper' purpose."

"Yeah…" Desmond took a sip of his wine glass.

"I would like to thank you Rena…"

"Hmm?" Rena looked at him, puzzled from what the man had said.

"For giving me this game…it's indeed fun and somehow, indirectly speaking, it helps me find 'myself,'" Rena blinked twice and tried to understand what he said.

"Yourself?"

"My memories…it somehow gives me a hint of my identity, before I got this amnesia," Rena's eyes widened, startled from what he said. She made a side-glance to the left and asked.

"What do you mean by that…Des-y?"

"You said that Brain Burst accessed the mind and created an avatar out of my fears and what I'm ashamed of…" he paused as he took a sip again of his red wine.

"My avatar's colour is silver, a metal colour and a strong one, I have many abilities…and most of all I have wings. I think I 'm a lonely child who wanted to be free from everything…and I want to become strong to protect my loved ones," Desmond finished his sentence.

Rena sighed and touched his right shoulder. She made a comforting smile, understanding what the man had said.

"Des-y, I'm truly grateful that you somehow discovered a part of yourself," she paused and finished off her wine.

"I should've told you earlier Des-y…indeed you're a solitary child. You rarely have friends, you only have a strong connection to your parents…" she paused and made a side glance to the left, "and to me."

Desmond stared at the red wine in his glass; a feeling of melancholy began to envelop him again. He smiled and drank the remaining wine.

"Ah…thanks for the meal," Rena smiled and went to the kitchen. She put her dishes and glass in the sink.

"So what're you going to do tomorrow?" Rena asked as she began to wash the dishes.

"I might go to the library and study for my university's entrance exam next week," Desmond said.

"Well you should get some sleep, I'll explain to you the other shaded parts on the map tomorrow morning" Rena turned and continued. "It's up to you, what you will do then."

Desmond smiled and went to his room to sleep.

* * *

_Am I dreaming…?_ Desmond looked around. The darkness around him seemed to stretch forever.

_Where am I?_ he felt the coldness creep into his skin while he was walking, his footsteps echo dully in the endless darkness.

"Desmond…" Desmond stopped after he heard a voice – a man's voice.

"Desmond…go back…" Desmond looked around him and couldn't see anyone.

"What…?" he said but then the voice suddenly spoke.

"Desmond! You-"Desmond covered his ears and grunted in pain after an ear shattering sound reverberated from the darkness around him, he tried to look up, but then he failed and felt that he was being separated from his body, a feeling like being 'accelerated'.

* * *

"Gah!" Desmond took a mouthful of air after he woke up. He darted his eyes and breathes through his mouth hard while he looked around his room, searching for any possible threat or beings, such as, from his nightmare.

"Just a dream…" he relaxed and rubbed his eyes hard. He stood up, removed his white t-shirt and black shorts before opening his closet to get his white hoodie out along with his black t-shirt and jeans.

After he put on his clothes he left his room and connected himself to the global network.

* * *

"Morning…" Desmond slowly said while walking to the kitchen. However Rena wasn't there; he looked around and saw a small dish prepared for him on the table.

He went to the refrigerator and pressed a virtual button on his neuro-linker which activated a message.

"Morning Des-y! Sorry if I left you so early. I was called for an emergency meeting-" Desmond opened the refrigerator and took out a bottle of milk, opened it and checked if it's expired, while the message continues.

"-now then Desmond, I'll explain to you the other shaded parts on the map. They were the territories of other legions. The Leonids territory was just the tip of the iceberg, there're others which are better than that-"

Desmond silently listened while eating his toast; he chewed, gulped down his food and drank his milk. He closed his eyes after he finished his glass and refilled it with the same liquid.

"Well then Des-y! That's all for today, I'll be back by evening, maybe late, I already prepared you your dinner, just heat it in the microwave ok? Bye!" Rena's message ended after Desmond finished his milk.

He smiled and felt grateful for the tips that were given to him.

"Thanks Rena," Desmond stood up and stretched. He took his shoulder bag from a coat racket and went outside of his unit.

* * *

SUGINAMI LIBRARY

The library of Suginami was large and silent. Desmond strode passed a door after getting a library card. He walked passed some women who were reading e-books via neuro-linker and some kids who, might be, reading comic books or some encyclopaedia.

He went to a bookshelf and pressed a virtual button that appeared along with a window. He picked some books and slowly walked away to sit on a chair beside a window.

_Now then…_Desmond then pressed a button and opened the legion map that he received with the message, instead of the e-books that he had borrowed.

_There're 6 major legions…_the man scanned the whole map intently, he moved his fingers discreetly.

_The Leonids were dissolved, good_. He put a large X mark on the blue shaded part then scanned the green shaded part.

_The Great Wall, according to Rena, is the largest legion in terms of territory, which is from Shibuya to Ota, and they are lead by the Green King, Green Grandee._ Desmond silently analysed the territorial map, however, he sighed and went to another shaded part.

"That's too…strong for me…" he said and stopped at another shaded part. Desmond looked at the purple shaded territory and analysed it.

_The Aurora Oval, a.k.a Purple Legion, their territory is from Ginza to bay coast, lead by Purple Thorn, the purple king._ Desmond stared at it then he smiled. "Maybe I can take him/her out…" he said confidently and moved onto another shaded region.

_The Yellow territory, the Yellow Legion, Crypt Cosmic Circus, their territory covers Taito, Adachi, Arakawa Akihabara, lead by Yellow king, Yellow Radio._ Desmond stared at the yellow region.

"Hmm…not sure about this…" he then moved to another region which was shaded in red.

_The red legion, Prominence, according to Rena is the smallest of all the legions, it has suffered many mutinies and civil wars, lead by Scarlet Rain, successor of the previous Red King, Red Raider,_ Desmond thought for a moment.

"It's small…it only covers Nerima and Nakano," he moved to another one before saying, "but they can be terrible." He added and stopped at a region shaded in black.

_Hmm…this one is in my place…_Desmond stared at the map of Suginami which was shaded in black, Nega Nebulus, they had conquered Minato and Suginami…and according to Rena, they slaughter everyone whoever gets in their way, legion is lead by Black King, Black Lotus.

Desmond finished his scanning of the map and closed it. He looked at the people, seated in chairs, reading e-books or dozing off.

"Looks like…I have my final target…" Desmond smile and opened an e-book about the basics of computer engineering. He silently read it, he flipped several pages and focused himself and, after an hour, he grunted and swiped the e-book out of his vision.

"A little preparation wouldn't hurt," Desmond covered his head with his white hoodie. He looked down and closed his eyes and said.

"Burst Link."

* * *

The 3-D environment of the library was still cool in temperature. Desmond, stood above his figure on the chair, pressed the Brain Burst Program icon on his menu screen.

"Now for my skills…hmm?" the man stopped after he noticed something different on the table below his special/finishing move table.

INCARNATE SKILLS

?

?

?

EDWARD OVERRIDE

"Edward Override…? Is this new?" he thought as he closed the window.

"No matter I must prepare," Desmond opened the duelling match list window and scanned. There're 32 Burst Linkers around him.

* * *

LOCATION: SUGINAMI DISTRICT

STAGE: EROSION

"Why now!" a red, with a combination of green, avatar with a medium build, ran together with his ally, who was also a red avatar, but with a combination of blue.

"Why, for all of Burst Linkers out there, did the Silver Animus challenge us!?" Barium Lock, the one with the red-combination with green-coloured avatar, shouted.

"I don't know!" Argon Light, the red-combination with blue, grunted as he tripped, fell and ran again.

Desmond, flying with his Altair wings skill, in his avatar Silver Animus, had ambushed their group. He challenged all five of them at once and he defeated the other three. Those two were the remaining member of that party, they were all level 6.

"Keep running…" Desmond muttered and using his eagle vision he saw the two, turn into an alley off the city streets.

The stage where he was right now has the same features in reality, but all of the buildings were rusty coloured and almost eroded.

Barium and Argon ran in the maze-like alley, but then they stopped, they almost hit a wall, they were on a dead end.

"Crap! Let's fin-"Before Barium could finish his sentence, Silver Animus dropped from the sky and landed ten meters away from them.

"Nowhere to run, you two," Silver Animus said as he summoned his dual blade skill.

Argon Light grunted and summoned his skill. A large hammer detached from his red armour on his chest and he held it in his right hand.

"I'm going to finish you! You're just a level 5!" Argon ran with his hammer aimed at the silver avatar.

"Connor Knife Launcher," Silver Animus's chest plate opened and a pair of knives ejected from the inside.

The knives moved like a boomerang, sweeping passed the red and blue avatar Argon Light, cutting his right hand…and his head.

Barium screech in terror as the knives moved in the air then returned to Silver Animus's hands.

Barium Lock, gulped in fright, spoke.

"Y-You're Silver Animus, the one who defeated the blue king, the strongest King!" he stuttered and kneeled to the floor.

"W-we heard that you stole all of the king's burst points…" he paused then continued, "then killed him!"

"Aye, that is true, but not-"

"Please don't steal my burst points!" Barium kneeled and cried in terror. "Accel World is all I got!" he added.

Desmond looked down and felt…triumphant. He looked over his shoulder and saw the Death Mark of Argon Light, which displayed a timer for when he will respawn.

"You…" Desmond looked up and saw the name of the avatar.

"Barium Lock was it?" the red-green avatar looked up.

"Y—yes?"

"I'm not going to steal your burst points…" Desmond said as he squatted down to his eye level and looked at the avatar's eyes.

"R-really…?"

"Yeah really," Desmond said then, without a second thought, grabbed Barium by his neck and lifted him in the air.

"But I can't simply ignore what you did to those three-party players," Barium struggled as he tried to reach the ground with his feet, "that you ambushed without mercy."

Desmond, before he challenged Barium's party, had witnessed a cruel battle. Barium's party, which consisted of five, including him, had mercilessly killed a three-man party; they were outnumbered and Desmond was only returning the favour.

"Those three, were just having fun in this world, yet you and your scumbag group, hunted them and mercilessly killed them, they were just level 1s and you are level 6," Silver Animus tightened his grip around the neck of the red-green avatar.

"P—Plea-don't-stan-!" Desmond didn't let him finish the sentence. He tightened his grip so much that the red-green avatar's head, cracked from his neck and detached from his body.

The silver avatar watched as the head rolled and disintegrated. A death marker suddenly appeared and showed Barium's time before he respawns.

Desmond stared at it for a moment.

"I've got 60 seconds," he murmured and sat on the ground.

* * *

AFTER 60 SECONDS

The avatar Argon Light quickly materialized and stood up.

"Wha-happen-" before he could figure out his location, the silver Avatar, Silver Animus pushed him off the wall and, using his right hidden blade, stabbed him on the back.

"Wha-!"

"I'll be quick, so I don't want you slacking off," Desmond said as he moved his right hand upward, ripping the back armour off the avatar.

"Y—es?! I'll do anything, please spare my burst points."

"What is your legion right now?"

"I—Don't have a legion!"

Desmond smiled under his avatar.

"Very well, do you have a former legion?"

Argon Light didn't answer immediately so Desmond slightly moved his right hand upward, ripping most of the armour on the red-blue avatar's back and sending an unbearable pain through the player.

"Gyah!"

"Don't make me wait."

"T-The—Prominence! Thats 4 or 5 years ago!" Bingo, what a coincidence, Desmond thought successfully then continued harassing the burst linker.

"Very well, Argon Light…" Desmond moved his face closer on the avatar's shoulder and said in harsh voice.

"I want you and your friend to do me a favour…" the avatar then listened carefully as Desmond dictated his favour.

Desmond looked up and saw some high school girls walking silently to the exit door of the library.

It was already afternoon. He opened an e-book and read some terms and studies, after 5 minutes he closes it and stands up.

He left the library and walked onto the side walk.

The city was littered

with lights from the buildings above him. He walked passed a cake shop filled with high school students returning from school and some business men entering a bar.

Desmond continued walking towards his condominium, planning to relax tonight and for the rest of the week. Satisfied with what he did today, he smiled, because his plan was already in action.

* * *

Chapter update! Finally I have a lot of school works and can't find time finishing one chapter. Have fun reading this! SPecial thanks to Anime-Angel-Serza and Vilalala for beta-reading :)


	7. Chapter 7 : First Crossroads

Chapter 7

* * *

(3 Weeks Later)

LOCATION: SUGINAMI

"30 minutes left!" Desmond Miles looked up then darted back to his E-test paper after the examination proctor shouted the time.

Today was the entrance examination day of the Suginami Community College. The students, or rather the freshmen, seated beside the man, were all leaning towards their holographic paper.

_I should've studied…_Desmond grumbled, but continued answering. He leaned on the table, looked at his E-Test Paper and answered.

It was already noon and the temperature inside the room was cold for every student, except to him. The man didn't even bother to wipe off the sweat forming on his forehead; his whole concentration was on the test.

* * *

"Agh…finally, I'm done," Desmond walked past the college gate and onto the crowded sidewalk. The sun was already setting when he entered a café and sat down beside a window.

"Now what should I eat?" Desmond then looked down on the virtual menu that popped out of his neuro-linker. Suddenly, he paused.

Desmond, before he knew it, looked around, everything became blue and the people inside had stopped moving. He accelerated again.

"Great…can I just have my lunch first?" the man said as his surroundings started to change.

* * *

LOCATION: SUGINAMI DISTRICT

STAGE: URBAN FOREST

Desmond stood in the middle of a road. He looked around and observed.

The city has turned urban jungle-like. The buildings, the road and even some abandoned cars, were all covered, either by moss or leaves or roots of a large tree.

Desmond then looked in front of him after he heard a loud thud. There were 6 Duel Avatars standing at the end of a grass covered highway. All were level 6.

"Great…" Desmond murmured, but then, one of the duel avatars spoke.

"You there! The one in the white robe," Desmond looked at the avatar intently, it wore red-violet combination coloured armour and its avatar eyes were amber, the build was larger than the other dual avatars.

_He must be the leader…_"What?" Desmond thought before he spoke.

"You! You're the one who messed up our ambush squadron 3 weeks ago!" Desmond, puzzled from what the avatar had said, only stared in silence.

"Huh?"

"The one who ambushed Barium and Argon!"

"Oh…Let me guess…you're somehow their friends?" Desmond, after he recalled the incident, asked.

"No one messes the members of our legion like that! You will pay the price!" Desmond looked up as the two virtual bars appeared above him, showing his name and his enemies.

_Legion...I could've sw-_ Desmond's thought was cut when he bent and moved to the left, after a sledge hammer almost hit him in the face.

"What're you lagging at?! Fight me!" The leader of the group said as his team mates attacked the Silver Animus.

* * *

"The leader, Raging Sledge, sure is pissed off…" Desmond said as he flew above the ground.

"He killed the other two, destroy his wings!" Raging Sledge said. There were 6 of them one minute ago now there was only 4, including him. Silver Animus had killed the other two earlier.

"He won't escape my guns!" A red-yellow coloured avatar took out a long range rifle and began firing.

Desmond made an evasive manoeuvre and dodged all of the bullets. He then flew up and called out a skill.

"Connor Knife Launcher!" Two knives ejected out from his chest plate, which moved like a boomerang and slashed the head of the gun-avatar.

The red-yellow avatar disintegrated, which angers the leader even more.

"KILL HIM! RIP HIM APART!" Raging Sledge threw his sledge hammer, like a boomerang, at the flying avatar.

Desmond descended and hit the oncoming sledgehammer with his axe, from his Connor Axe Combo skill. He then landed on the ground, between two avatars, spun, and decapitated the two avatars with his axe.

Raging Sledge, gritting in anger, caught his sledgehammer with his right hand. He then taunted Silver Animus.

"You little crap! I'll get you for this!" Desmond immediately raised his axe and blocked the sledgehammer. Raging then swung his sledgehammer to the left, jumped back, thrust forward and slammed his enemies axe.

Desmond grit his teeth. _He's strong…!_ He was pushed backward because of the intense force from the sledgehammer. Raging Sledge then ran towards him and attempted to smash the silver avatar's head.

Desmond immediately blocked it using his axe; their weapons clashed creating a blinding spark.

Desmond was grunting, he was using too much force against the sledgehammer. Raging Sledge slowly pushed the silver avatar, but the avatar fought back.

_This…is…annoying…!_ Desmond, under his avatar's face, grunted and closed his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a surge of power and before he knew it, he heard a loud crack.

Raging Sledge, shocked from what happened, watched in horror as his sledge hammer broke and fell to the ground.

Desmond saw his chance, thrust forward and slashed downward, cutting the red-avatar's left hand.

Raging Sledge gasped in terror as the silver avatar attacked him again.

"My turn…" Desmond said and without a second thought, raised his axe and mauled the avatar.

"Gya!" Raging Sledge screamed in pain as the silver avatar slashed and slashed, cutting his limbs, his torso and, soon, his head.

* * *

_Faster…faster…faster!_ Desmond shouted in his mind as he repeatedly hacked the red avatar. His mind was focused so much at his target that he didn't notice…that he was emitting a blue aura around his avatar.

"Sto-…" Raging Sledge, whose upper torso was the only thing undamaged from the attack, said slowly. His lower extremities are gone and his whole lower torso was completely torn off from his waist.

The silver avatar looked down at him.

"You should've said it a while ago," Desmond triumphantly said and grabbed the avatar by the head.

"Thanks to you…I've levelled up. I'm now level 5."

"…-uck…"

Desmond heard the avatar spoke but the voice was croaked.

"What did you say?"

"Go…" Raging Sledge then slowly uttered a sentence, "Go fuck yourself!"

Desmond stared for a moment at the red avatar. His grip around the head tightened after he let out a sigh.

"You should've chosen a better last word than that…Raging Sledge," the silver avatar suddenly slammed him to the ground. He then flicked both of his wrists and produced his hidden duel blade.

"Good Game," Desmond said before he stabbed the red avatar in the neck.

The red avatar screamed in agony as the silver avatar repeatedly stabbed him in the neck until his life bar decreased and emptied.

"Hmph…those two avatars lied to me," Desmond said after a death marker appeared signalling the death of the avatar.

He then stretched and yawned.

"Better go…I've suffered so much today," the silver avatar said as the 3D environment began to disintegrate.

He closed his eyes so he can rest it. However, he failed to notice a figure standing on one of the tree branches, staring at him as he dissolved.

* * *

Desmond blinked and stared at his coffee cup. He was back inside the café, sitting in his chair.

He glanced at the wall clock, hanging above the counter, and read the time.

"It's 5:34 when I Burst Linked…the battle lasted for 3 hours." The clock was showing 5:35. I've accelerated 1 minute… Desmond thought as he yawned and scratched his eyes.

The man sighed and drank his coffee.

* * *

"Hey there, Des-y!" Rena greeted the man after she closed the door of her unit. Desmond just smiled and went back to the E-book that he was reading.

It was already night time.

"Say, Des-Y how was the entrance exam?"

"It's fine…I should've studied though, I got addicted to Accel World," Rena just laughed lightly as she went to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.

"So what's your level now?"

"Level 5…pretty low don't you think?"

Rena smiled after she took out a bottle of red wine.

"Not really, in Accel World, the level limit is 10," Desmond stopped reading his e-book and looked at Rena.

"Eh? How's that?"

"Because, like I said before, Accel World isn't yet complete," Desmond only nodded and continued reading.

* * *

"Ah…thanks for the meal," Rena slumped back into her chair and drank from her wine glass. Desmond, also, slumped into his chair and looked up.

_I feel dizzy…I drank too much…_the man rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"Congratulations Des-y! You're a college freshman!"

"Rena, the results are not out yet, but thanks," Desmond said and yawned again.

"Well…its already late, why don't you have a rest Des-y? I'm early tomorrow," Rena put her wine glass on the sink and untied her apron.

She stretched her body while walking towards her room.

"Good Night Des-y," Desmond only nodded as the girl closed her door.

* * *

Desmond went back to his e-book and continued reading for a while. He swiped his right index finger on the virtual book then he grunted.

"Now that I remembered…what was that weird feeling earlier?" Desmond said and closed the e-book. He then silently uttered a sentence.

"Burst Link."

Desmond entered the frozen blue world of the Accel World. He then pressed the brain burst logo on his main menu before pressing a virtual window which shows his skills.

Desmond stared and read all of his skills when he noticed something.

_My incarnate skills…_the man looked at the section which shows his incarnate skills.

INCARNATE SKILLS:

?

?

CONNOR BERSERK

EDWARD OVERDRVIVE

"A new skill…I knew it," Desmond closed the window and uttered a word again. "Burst Out."

* * *

Desmond, after his surroundings returned to normal, closed his eyes to think.

"I have the same feeling when I got my Edward Overdrive…" he glanced over his shoulder, at the door of Rena's room.

"Maybe if I asked her…I might have an answer or two…" he stood up and disconnected his Neuro-linker from the global network.

He then walked, opened the door of his room and closed it after he entered. He decided to call it a day.

* * *

"Rena, may I ask you something?"

"Hmm?" Rena, who was chewing bacon, looked up. Both her and Desmond were eating breakfast while watching the early morning news.

"What is an incarnate skill?" she stopped chewing and shrugged.

"I don't know Des-y, I only design the virtual environment," she drank her orange juice then continued, "not avatar's skills," she stood up after she drank it all and put her cup on the dishes.

"Did I, my subconscious I mean, somehow design it?" Desmond asked as Rena smiled at him.

"Yes, you must have a hidden desire to be a powerful man, which was then interpreted by the program and turned into skills."

Desmond thought for a while. _Desire…to be a powerful man…?_ His thought was cut short when Rena bid him good bye.

"Dinner is in the oven as usual Des-y!" Desmond only smiled as his aunt walked away.

The man then sighed, walked towards the sofa and sat. Desmond took the remote and opened the television to watch the news and noticed the headline.

**TRANSCENDENCE CORPORATION CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF INNOVATION**

"Transcendence Corporation…hmm…" Desmond thought as he watched the news.

* * *

LOCATION: SUGINAMI LIBRARY

_Hmm…_Desmond stared, and grunted, at the e-book that he was reading. He was sitting beside a window, inside the library, uneasy towards the quiet building.

The man scratched the back of his head after he read a paragraph that he couldn't understand.

"I can't understand what I am reading…" the man sighed and closed the e-book. He stood up and walked to a book shelf.

Desmond scanned as each virtual window pops out on his Neuro-linker, showing the titles, authors and publishers of each books.

Attack on Iron Titan Vol 1000, Gosick mysteries, ghost stories, how to train your dragon, the curious case of stupidity-….Desmond read each title when he stopped after he noticed a little, fat boy with brown hair wearing what seemed to be a school uniform.

_That kid is fat…_Desmond thought and darted to an e-book in front of him after the boy looked at him. The boy moved away and passed behind him, towards the exit.

Desmond then shrugged off the boy on his mind and read an e-book, bearing a title: THE WORKS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI.

* * *

Woo-hoo! Finally updated! I was so busy with my exams last week and my brain is too fried to create a chapter! Special thanks to Anime-Angel-Serza and villalala for beta-reading :)


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